Since they are chartering a boat, I wouldn't be too worried about
pirates at sea. Your safety ashore is much more at risk if you are in
the tourist trap areas (pick pockets, etc.). Check out the Seven Seas
Cruising Association for Piracy reports. Most the of the Caribbean is
relatively safe with the exception of the Venezulian and Columbian
coasts. If pirates do come, they are after things they can easily
fence -small electronics, outboard motors, things easily carried off,
and of course, cash. Precautions at night are a must. Make sure they
know how to turn the deck lights on. This will scare away most
intruders if they are trying to climb aboard. Also, secure the dinghy
aboard if possible. I like to do this simply because storms can pop
up in the middle of the night and it's just one less thing to worry
about while fighting a dragging anchor.

In the Bahama's a favorite trick for thieves is to strip naked, cover
themselves in vasoline, and climb aboard at night when everyone is
asleep or possibly ashore passed out at a tavern. Being naked and
greased up makes it hard for you to grab hold of them. I've read
reports about outboard motors that were locked to the transom of a
dinghy being stolen with the use of a chainsaw. The thieves cut the
transom off the boat and walked away with the outboard, transom in
tow.

As a side note, I have a number of friends that have cruised the
caribbean extensively and even gone down the coast of South America
all the away to the tip of Argentina. They said guns are useful.
When trying to clear customs at a port, the officials will be so
worried about your gun that they often overlook things like expired
pet tags or other goods in the boat that have not been declared. They
carried a shotgun around just as a destractor for customs.

Dan Schiro
M/V Sea Ranch
Pensacola Sail and Power Squadron

(Curtis CCR) wrote in message . com...
I enjoyed the movie - it's my favorite ride a Disneyland... but I was
looking for up-to-date opinions on the threat of piracy in the
Caribbean. If you go to Google and search of information, all you get
is the movie stuff etc. Try changing the word to "Piracy" with
Caribean and you get hits related to offshore software theft....

I have no experience with small boat cruising in the Caribbean. An
aquantance of mine is looking into a bareboat charter in the area.
She was online discussing it with someone that started filling her
head with concerns about pirates. Sounded like she was really freaked
by the thought of their boat being boarded by thugs and her and her
friends being beaten, robbed, raped.... or worse.

She lives in Piedmont - a part of Oakland, CA. I told her she was
probably more likely to get carjacked in her own neighborhood, than
hijacked on a boat south of Florida. But I also told her I told her I
would ask about it.

So what parts of the Caribbean would be considered "high risk" for a
small group of young adults on a 50-something foot sailboat? I don't
imagine that the demographic make up of the group or the size of the
boats makes a difference - but if it does...

While I myself might be prepared to go such a cruise armed in some
way, I am hesitant, for a couple of reasons, to to suggest to her that
someone on the trip should have a gun. Primarily, I am concerned that
saying something like, "maybe you should have a gun on board," would
make it sound like she should be worried. Secondly, I don't know if
she or any of her companions know how to handle a gun in such a
situation.

I don't want this to be a gun issue, but I know someone is going to
bring it up ... and I'll likely be sorry it was me.

Let me "bottom line" with a general question. What personal security
risks should be considered for someone considering a bareboat charter
in the Caribbean?

Thanks in advance.